


Red Robin Rebirth

by batkidstories



Category: Batgirl (Comics), Batman (Comics), Batman Beyond, Batman Beyond 2.0 (Comics), DCU (Comics), Detective Comics - Fandom, Nightwing (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Red Robin (Comics)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-02
Updated: 2017-02-09
Packaged: 2018-08-19 03:12:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8187316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/batkidstories/pseuds/batkidstories
Summary: This story takes place after Detective Comics 940 and Batman Beyond #16. Tim Drake in the current timeline is known to be "dead" and Tim Drake who was thrown into the future was last seen in a flash of light. This is the story of future Tim returning back home, but can he keep a low profile from the Batfamily once he finds out the fate of this timeline's Tim?





	1. Home

**Author's Note:**

> I will be updating this frequently I'm still in the process of writing it so that being said it should be completed in the next month or so. If you haven't already I high recommend the 2015 Batman Beyond book, DC's Future End and the Red Robin solo book!
> 
> Most of the story will be from Tim's point of view, his thoughts, feelings etc.

I’m not dead…I don’t think I am, I can feel the vibrations from my bike on the ground, the wheels are still spinning. I don’t know what happened last thing I knew I was leaving Neo-Gotham and then there was a flash of light and I was certain I hit something. I can feel the ground under me.. the air has a familiar nostalgic scent to it.. I haven’t smelt it ever since …….Oh god..I’m back home, I’d know the freeway entrance to Gotham anywhere, it always had the the weirdest mix of the city smoke and the fresh smell of the trees from the forest.

I’m finally able to open my eyes, its night time, the stars are the brightest I’ve ever seen them all my years in Gotham…maybe things have finally changed.

My arms finally get feeling back then my legs and everything else works like it should, my clothes are torn but there isn’t a scratch anywhere on me and then I look up to see my bike, it’s in two? split right down the middle… I should be dead, This isn’t right, none of this adds up. Just yesterday I was with Barbra, Matt and Terry. I left the cave. It was 2040. Now I’m back? Just like that?! After everything I went through in Neo-Gotham.. Brother eye, the League, Terry.. This doesn’t make sense. I need to see Bruce.

 

I start walking to Gotham, there’s no sound of cars so that means its middle of the night. The walk helps clear my head, there are too many things unanswered and if I know myself as well as I think I do.. I can’t get lost in thought.


	2. Mad City

It must of been three or more hours I’ve been walking and I’m finally…finally back home. Walking in the city streets… Something doesn’t feel right and it’s not just because it’s Gotham.

 _an emergency TV broadcast turns on throughout the store windows of the street_ **“BREAKING NEWS: GIANT MONSTERS ATTACKING CENTRAL GOTHAM!!” “EXPLOSIONS AT BLACKGATE PENITENTIARY”**

Of course there’s giant monsters in Gotham, why wouldn’t there be? …at least I’ll know where Bruce is, where there’s monsters there’s Batman.

I start to feel a weight in my chest, my mind starts to race… I haven’t…I.. I… I’m back, and Gotham is under attack by god knows what.  
It’s surreal, my old self would be in the suit within seconds but I’m not Batman anymore, Bruce is and this isn’t 2040.

“Hey man are you okay? You’re sweating like a leaking tap, and your clothes are all torn” this figure is talking to me. I hear him clearly but my eyes start stinging from the sweat. I need to get out of here. I need to find Bruce. I need answers. I have to get a hold of myself and get to one of my old safe houses around here. I’m sorry random citizen I’m sorry I just ran off on you, hopefully one day I can save your cat out of burning building or something, I’m sure we’ll cross paths again.

Running in these back alleys, climbing up these buildings it feels so right but yet something feels wrong. Opening these doors and seeing all my… new stuff? Since when did I wear a revamped version of my old Robin get up? Where are my wings? Why would I ever give up my wings?… That’s not important right now, what is important is why haven’t I seen my younger self in the live footage of the attacks?

My computer set up is exactly how used to have it I have it, passwords are still the same, my network is untouched, it’s like I never left.

 **“RED ROBIN DEAD?” “RED ROBIN KILLED BY THE BATMEN!?” “TITAN FALLS TO BAT MILITIA”  
** I…I’ve read that headline before. I know who wrote that article but this isn’t the same, I orchestrated that and it definitely wasn’t 2016 when I did that. The more I watch the live footage, the more I can see it on Bruce’s face even with the cowl on I can see him wearing the death of Tim Drake.  
It’s true, I’m dead…at least my younger self is… Was I brought back to this time for that reason? Was this what the beginning of the story that Barbra told me about? Is this the Future’s End of 2016, is this how it starts?  
  
I know Bruce will search for him…I know he will. I can help him but I won’t be able to do it as anything I’ve been before, I can’t play the Oracle role, as much as I liked to push Babs back in the day I know she’ll track me down if there was another hacker running on her turf. I can run as a rogue vigilante but in doing so I’d be watched and studied by my family members and it would be all too familiar for them to see.

Then it hit me, _who_ in this city can match Batman in a fight and run these streets undetected? _Who._


	3. A Death in the Family

It was on a Thursday, Bruce Wayne and family buried an empty casket of a loved one, the casket of the Teen Wonder. The funeral that would honour him the most is the one shrouded in secrecy.  
This family had been in this situation one too many times before, yet it never gets easier.  
The man who stands the tallest is no stranger to funerals, the way he speaks can warm the coldest of hearts... times like these you see that The Batman really is human.

 

Thursdays were always my favourite day. Thank you Bruce.


	4. Who

_10:43pm_

After yesterday, after my own funeral and seeing my younger self getting ‘killed’. I knew exactly how to do this and how I had to play it out there.  
After that night we fought the owls, we were were meant to think they had left Gotham, well…that’s what they wanted us to believe. We knew better, The Court Of Owls just packing up and leaving after being beaten into the ground? This isn’t Metropolis.

All I need to do is find a stray owl and let it lead me back to the nest, probably easier said than done. I’m just lacking a mask and a costume… I’m sure no one would turn a head if word got out Red Hood took down a bunch of owls.  
Sorry Todd, but we both know you owe me.

 

_2:27am_

There are two things I learnt tonight, muggers and street criminals are scared of Jason, and The Court really do send a Talon for you if you start speaking their name.  
All I needed tonight was attention from a Talon and I got it, dumb luck.  All he’s doing is watching me, not making any moves just watching…

 

_3:25am_

I guess I broke into the right building, he’s finally on the move. Using the shadows to move around, smart, but useless against a Robin.

He’s moving faster than I remember them being. I have to be smart here, I can’t use guns it’ll draw too much attention to everyone outside of this building and inside.  
Oh, I don’t have to think like that… I’m under the hood now.  
Before I could even pull the trigger he split it in two. This is going to be fun.  
He lands right next to me, claws already aiming for the killing blow but I’m not who he thinks I am, so he won’t be expecting this at all.

 

_3:33am_

I’ve broken his bones more times then a bone should be ever be broken. He’s landed hits on me more than I’d like to admit. I have to end this quick otherwise these owls watching in the wings might get the wrong idea.

All I need is an opening, but he’s not letting up. My mask isn’t going to withstand another hit, if it breaks he’s at the perfect range to realise…of course, with my luck the side of the mask gave way.  “Not The Hood.” he growls  
….Perfect, my opening. I always knew Jason kept a few guns on him and I never understood why until now.  
Dick’s words echo in my head during the night of the attack, “They can’t regenerate their brain.” ….  
  
I’ve never shot anyone point blank before.. it doesn’t matter. The no kill rule doesn’t apply if they're already dead. I finally have what I need. Please don’t be too heavy.

 

_4:19am_

I didn’t expect to be lugging a dead body around rooftops when I realised I was finally back home but…. do I even need to say it?  
  
I’m about a block away from the safe house, but my body won’t let go any further… I’ve lost blood before but nothing I can’t manage. It’s just my body right now, I’ve never felt anything like this before. I’ve never had this happen to me… did I shock my system by fighting the Talon? Is this effects of the time jump? This didn’t happen when… I can’t get lost in thought. I just need to push forward, ignore this pain and get this Talon back so I can stop masquerading as Jason.

 

_4:25am_

Almost there… Cass!?… No. This can’t. This can’t be happening. I have to keep my head down. She didn’t see inside the mask…I hope she didn’t see.  
I know her, I know she won’t talk but if she saw Tim under the mask right now, her reaction to Tim’s name wouldn’t bother her at all and her being around Steph and the family…someone would notice. I just need to keep my head where she can’t see into the mask. Was she watching me all this time? Did she see me carry this Talon around the rooftops?

“Hard to find. Meeting. Manor.” I think that’s the most I’ve ever heard her speak, and… She’s gone. She’s learning fast.  
I really hope Jason gets that memo from someone else…

 

_5:51am_

I admit, tonight probably could of gone smoother…. probably a lot smoother. At least I got what I needed, a new guise to run undetected with.


	5. The Fortress In Gotham

After a bit of modifying this Talon get up, I’ve finally got it feeling just like my old bat-suit… minus the ears and the jet boots of course. My own algorithm set within my reach, everything I need ready so I can get back out there. Back home.

  
The Belfry will have answers. I’m going to find every single lead Bruce has on my younger self, everything that happened that night. The news only showed so much in the videos due to editing, even tapping into the network I couldn’t find anything else. Bruce never makes things easy.  
The victim syndicate have everyone in this little boot camp preoccupied enough to get me in and out without a trace. I’m finally going see how well this owl really flies. 

I gotta give him credit, he created a fortress under everyones noses in the middle of Gotham. Always prepared for the worst Bruce.  
I’ve been watching this place studying the entrances, watching the walls turn into doors, street camera footage, everything. This fortress is coded heavily.. but luckily I’m sure I know the exact guy who coded this all. I can loop the cameras, walk right through the front door without any interruptions. I know I shouldn’t sound so glad, but I’m finally going to understand what's happening to me and why.

The underground tracks, the holding cells, “the mud room” whoever named it that, this place has everything… even… even the … the glass memorial case.  
I don’t why I didn’t expect it. It never crossed my mind even after the funeral. I know exactly how death plays out in this family I should of known, but seeing my own memorial case _again_ … I… I have to keep going.

“Aghh!” the pain of waking up back here hits me again, the room is spinning, my skin feels like it’s on fire, I’m falling.  
“BRUCE!”  
… Just like that it’s gone. I called for him… I called for the only person that could ever ground me, even though I knew he couldn’t hear me and never would.

I don’t know what these body spasms mean, Is it the timeline fluctuating? … Or am I being shown what I couldn’t see before… a room above the bell! It wasn’t visible when I swept this place, am I remembering the present… the past Tim’s memories? Will my life change into the cycle as his? Was it always meant to be this way?  
I can’t stay here much longer to question what’s happening to me, I need to find what I came for, and what I came for is in that room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all, thank you so much for following my story and leaving such great feedback!   
> I'm very sorry for the delay in updating, real life has just been very full on for the past weeks, just know I will never abandon this story! Some updates might be a bit spread out in the future but this story will continue to go on!   
> P.S: We're just getting into all the good stuff! Hope you enjoy!


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